The ad firm roped in by East Singhbhum police to install cameras at strategic points has so far readied iron structures on which overhead cameras would be mounted . The firm is trying to ensure the scanners are ready before the polls.

SP (city) Karthik S. said they had planned to ready cameras well ahead of elections.

Karthik, who is in-charge of the installation and operation of the gadgets, added that the ad agency had been asked to finish work before the polls.

“Due to immense work pressure owing to polls, the police department could not monitor the installation work. If the cameras were in place earlier, maintaining law and order in Sakchi would have been easier,” he added.

The senior police officer further said they had decided to increase the number of cameras from 11 to 18.

“Initially, we had planned to install only 11 CCTV cameras. But, after a thorough review, we increased it to 18. In some locations, more than one camera will be installed,” he added.

Notably, the ad firm entrusted with the installation work embarked on the project in the first week of March.

The locations where they installed poles and mounts included a number of points across Sakchi market, roundabouts and Kalimati Road. However, work progressed at snail’s pace.

The move to install cameras at Sakchi is a pilot project aimed at making steel city arteries safer. The district police plans to bring a number of other localities under surveillance. These include Bistupur, Golmuri, Sonari, Sitaramdera, Jugsalai and Tatanagar railway station area.

“Besides structures for CCTV cameras, a monitoring cell will come up at Sakchi police control room,” he said.